


present horrors

by cougarlips



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 2x12 Spoilers, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, POV Third Person, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 17:58:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11190357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cougarlips/pseuds/cougarlips
Summary: "Tell me how to fix this. Tell me what to do."But it wasn't that easy.





	present horrors

Alec cleans when he doesn’t know what else to do.

“ _Tell me how to fix this._ ” He stood up and then sat back down beside Magnus, close enough to provide support but not touching, his eyes slow to meet Magnus’s.

Magnus wanted to be able to tell Alec _first do this, then this, and after that do this_ but he couldn’t. There was nothing Alec could do to fix what happened, or to fix the situation, or to ease the warring memories berating inside Magnus’s mind.

But Alec knew the weight of his hand in this, and if not _his_ hand directly then the hand of his people, the hand of the Clave and of Imogen Herondale.

“ _Tell me what to do_.”

But it wasn’t that easy.

Alec wanted to help. He always did. He was a nurturer by nature, an empath in every regard, and Magnus knew how heavy his heart hurt in that moment.

But Magnus remained silent, his head shaking minutely, his eyes dropping to the ground before him.

He didn’t know what to tell him, his partner, this man he loved who so desperately needed guidance and a clear directive to know what to do. Magnus didn’t know how to tell him he needed to think for himself, to _be_ for himself and mind the barbaric cruelty of the Clave when he follows their orders.

Alec looked away, back down, eyes slipping shut and his hands wringing together in front of him, and Magnus watched them for a moment. Neither of them spoke again.

**Author's Note:**

> 212 fucked me up and i'm still cryin about it on my tumblr [@battlemagnus](https://battlemagnus.tumblr.com/)
> 
> still not hella happy w how this came out but i dont hate it idk


End file.
